Warm Weather Brooder

[Jenn1789]

This may seem like a dumb question but i'm going to ask it anyways

I live in south Florida and would like to raise my own chicks. I am new to all this and I don't want to make any fatal mistakes. The temperatures here are always between 85 - 95*F Is making a Brooder with heat lamps really necessary? I thought it might be best to keep the temperatures at a constant and lower them slowly myself. Some times it gets very hot and humid then the next day is rainy and cloudy. So any thoughts?

 

[gritsar]

I think perhaps you are confusing two words. A broody is a hen that has decided that she wants to set to hatch eggs and/or a hen that is raising chicks; whether from her own eggs or fertile eggs given to her.

A brooder is an enclosure, elaborate or simple, where you can brood chicks; i.e., keep them at the temps. necessary per their age until they no longer need supplemental heat.

I have brooded chicks in June in Arkansas; outside on our screened porch. After two weeks they no longer needed supplemental heat during the day. By the beginning of the fourth week they didn't need heat day or not. By the fifth week I was having to cool them off with fans.

All that is necessary is that you keep the temperature in their brooder constant, at the temps. necessary based on the chicks age. The general rule of thumb is: 90 to 95* F the first week, decreasing by 5 degrees a week, until such time as you are down to 70* F; at which point supplemental heat is not normally needed.

The ideal brooder will provide space for the chicks to self-regulate, with a warm area at the required temp. and enough room for the chicks to get away from the heat should they get too hot.

Hope this helps.

 

[gryeyes]

What gritsar said. I couldn't have said it any better.

 

[Jenn1789]

O that makes more sense now... lolz thank you so much for your help...